


can't choose what stays

by earlofcardigans



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-12
Updated: 2012-05-12
Packaged: 2017-11-05 05:15:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/402829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlofcardigans/pseuds/earlofcardigans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper had thought for half a moment that she could hug Natasha, but she dismissed that almost as if that hadn't entered her mind. Natasha wasn't built for hugs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	can't choose what stays

"You brought him back to me." Pepper had thought for half a moment that she could hug Natasha, but she dismissed that almost as if that hadn't entered her mind. Natasha wasn't built for hugs. She hid her softness well. Pepper had tried to take notes in the early game.

She shook her head and looked back at Natasha. Pepper closed the gap between them and picked something rough and shifty from Natasha's hair, ran her hand down to smooth it off her forehead.

Natasha shook her head back, but not to dislodge Pepper's hand.

"I owed him. And you. I have to cross out where I can. I don't own much black."

Pepper thought Natasha had shrugged, but she hadn't moved, so Pepper did--shrugged off Natasha's sense that she owed Pepper or Tony or anyone any part of her.

"You owe me nothing. I don't keep books that way." Pepper smudged at the dirt, the soot, under Natasha's eye. She couldn't help but make sure Natasha herself was seen, not the battle, not the shadows, just Natasha. Even if she'd never see herself. No one ever saw themselves the way Pepper saw them. She had once figured that made her defective.

"That's where we vastly differ, Ms. Potts." Natasha lifted her hand, but dropped it back in a fitful, abortive motion.

"Please don't be offended, Ms. Romanoff, when I say that most of the time, I am greatly relieved by that fact."

Then Pepper leaned down closer and kissed Natasha. For her part, Natasha took the relief and anxiety, let Pepper slant her head, deepen and retreat, tighten her hand in the back of Natasha's hair.

Pepper pulled back with a soft sound like lipstick, looked Natasha in the eyes.

She didn't move. Never moved. But Pepper saw her, saw the relief and insanity lurk in the back of her eyes. She leaned back in, kissed her fully, harder, threaded the fingers of her other hand through Natasha's and held her, near and sweet and open, in a way Pepper knew Natasha would never let her do again.


End file.
